Author Information
the tools of memory
Gabriel Leal
When I see a toolbox or a bunch of tools that are rusted or heavily use, I always try to see or imagine the story and the owner behind it. I remember my grandfather’s tools so heavily use yet in so good conditions, some of them you could see scratches and almost see where they got use. I remember that when something stopped working me, my grandfather, my dad, my uncles and cousins going to the backyard and seeing the table cover by a dusty and old bed sheet. When we went to the table I remember all the dust that came off the bed sheet and seeing wrenches and pincers of all sizes, hammers of all types, a manual sander that you had to pull a lever, some saws and some other things that I didn’t know how to use or in what they are used for and still don’t know for what they are use. My grandfather always told us what tools to get but sometimes he told us to get some wrenches and pincers but because he had so many of the them and in so many different sizes we usually got one or two of them wrong or other times he forgot to ask us for a specific like sandpaper, then he will het grumpy and started yelling how useless we are and that he couldn’t believe he had so useless sons. Then he turn around and ask us the grandchildren to help him, some of us really try hard to help him and sometimes failing in the process and getting yell. We usually got the most dangerous jobs like changing the light bulb on a very high ceiling or getting under a car or something heavy to change a part or to get something he could not reach, and when we didn’t wanted to do it because of fear he normally hit us in the head with his hand and make us do it anyway. We always learn new things, even my uncles for time to time learn something new. I always remember my grandparent taking so much care of his tools never forgetting to return them to the table and putting them so carefully and taking care of them even more than he took care of my uncles. I always saw my grandparent as a hardworking man that sometimes he was grumpy but in the end he was a good man. I remember the time I brought my dog with me to his house and he was repairing something under his old car, my dog took his wrenches away he was so angry that he had to get up and get them, but in the end he ended up loving that dog because he will always went to him and stayed at his side when he rested in his old chair. One of the last things I remember he told me was that you can know how a man is because of how much care he gives to his tools or in which state they are. And now when I see his table of tools I remember the wise, careful, stubborn, grumpy and great man he was.(533 words)
